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The Politics Guys

By The Politics Guys

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Description

Tired of liberals and conservatives screaming partisan talking points? We were, and so we created The Politics Guys as a sane and civil alternative. Each week, a liberal and a conservative talk *to*, not at each other, in an attempt to better understand the week in politics & policy. We're not about scoring cheap partisan points or preaching to the ideological choir. We reject the notion that people who see the world differently are either stupid or evil. Our mission is to promote a shared, evidence-based understanding of American politics and policy. We hope you'll join us.

In this listener response episode, Mike and Kristin address these listener questions: In the light of recently released testimony, can we conclude that elements in the intelligence community worked to sabotage Donald Trump? Is online media...

Mike & Kristin start the show by discussing the Senate’s vote to rescind the national emergency declared by President Trump, and Trump’s veto of the Congressional resolution. They agree that there’s little chance the veto will be overridden,...

Mike talks to Mark Godsey, a former federal prosecutor who's currently a professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Professor Godsey is the co-founder and director of the Ohio Innocence Project, which is one of the most active...

Mike and Jay start the show by discussing H.R. 1, the ‘For The People Act’ recently passed by House Democrats. Mike thinks it’s a great start toward fixing some of the basic flaws in our representative system. ALthough Jay agrees with Mitch...

Mike talks with media expert Matthew Pressman, an Assistant Professor of Journalism at Seton Hall University. Prior to earning his doctorate in history, Dr. Pressman worked for eight years at Vanity Fair, where his articles about the news media won...

Mike and Jay start the show with a discussion of what’s next now that the House has voted to rescind President Trump’s national emergency declaration. They agree that there won’t be the votes to override the inevitable presidential veto, but...

This week Trey is joined by Ken and they continue examining questions of constitutional significance. First, Trey reviews the history of incorporation before asking Ken to discuss the implications of the history-making Timbs v Indiana, where...

On this week’s episode of The Politics Guys Trey Orndorff is joined by Ken Katkin. The two get into the constitutional and legal details surrounding national emergencies. Specifically the two discuss what constitutes a national emergency and the...

Kristin, who voted for Donald Trump, talks about the three main things she likes about the president. The first is that he’s brought the issue of media bias to the forefront. Mike agrees, but thinks that President Trump has done far more damage by...

Mike and Kristin open this week’s show with President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency in order to fund border wall construction. Mike argues that there’s no real emergency in the first place, though Kristin doesn’t quite agree....

CleanState of the Union, Green New Deal, State of Virginia, Abortion Stay, and Trump Investigation Updates

In this show, Will & Zach discuss: their opinions of the State of the Union Address perceptions of AOC's Green New Deal scandals in Virginia the Supreme Court stay on Louisiana's abortion law current happenings around the Trump investigation If...

This week, Jay takes charge of the show, starting things off with a discussion of the ongoing budget negotiations and President Trump’s authority to declare a national emergency and use the military to build a wall. Next is a look at President...

This week Trey and Ken tackle a number of listener questions including: Can we avert civil war? How can I think critically? Is failing to federalize elections voter suppression? How would The Politics Guys fix the nomination process? Listener...

This week Trey is joined by Ken. In a surprise ending Trey and Ken deeply disagree! Before that the pair look at a potential hidden sentence in the inditement of Roger Stone. Then they turn to the Covington Catholic so-called smirk, focusing more on...

CleanAquinas and the Market: Theologian & Economist Mary Hirschfeld on a Humane Economy

Mike talks with theologian and economist Mary Hirschfeld about her book Aquinas and the Market: Toward a Humane Economy. Professor Hirschfeld started her career as an economist, getting her Ph.D. from Harvard and then working and teaching in the...

This week, Mike is joined by Republican policy analyst (and podcaster) Kristin Matheny. Mike and Kristin start things off by talking about the continuing government shutdown, including what it’s costing, the back-and-forth between Donald Trump and...

Mike is joined by Beth Silvers from the Pantsuit Politics podcast to talk about some ideas he has for changing the U.S. Constitution. They discuss: Doubling the size of Congress Semi-proportional representation in the Senate Eliminating the Electoral..

Mike and Will open with a continued discussion of the government shutdown. With employees now not receiving pay for the first time, it feels as if it has reached a new level of seriousness. Neither Mike nor Will see an easy path to the shutdown coming..

Mike talks to Patrick Deneen, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. In his book Why Liberalism Failed, Deneen argues not only that liberalism has failed (which you probably picked up from the title) but more importantly, he..

CleanShutdown & Border Security, The New Congress, 2020 Presidential Field

Mike and Jay open with a look at the ongoing government shutdown due to the impasse over border wall funding. The Guys actually agree as to their preferred solution - a package that includes funds for border security and comprehensive immigration...

On this listener mail episode, Mike and Jay discuss: If Jay is spreading vote fraud falsehoods to advance a right-wing agenda. Two international views on mandatory voting If term limits lead to more courageous politicians The sneaky (but legal) way...

Just like the federal government, we're shut down. But unlike the federal government, we know when we'll be back - Wednesday, January 2. If you're one of our Patreon supporters, we'll be posting things over our short break, including a great...

Mike and Jay open their final show of 2018 with a discussion of the partial government shutdown caused by President Trump’s unwillingness to sign a spending bill that doesn’t include at least $5 billion in border wall funding. House Republicans...

Mike talks with Tyler Cowen, a professor of Economics at George Mason University, blogger at Marginal Revolution, host of the 'Conversations with Tyler' podcast, regular contributor at 'Bloomberg Opinion', and author of a number of books including ...

Trey is joined this week by Athena King. The two begin by looking at the ongoing developments in the roll of chief of staff. Several individuals, including this week Chris Christie, have turned down the position. Announced just before the show, Mick...

Mike & Jay address listener questions concerning: The complexity of the U.S. system of government. Minimizing partisan advantage in redistricting. The moral foundations of conservative and liberal thinking. If Jay was wrong about election...

This week’s show opens with Jay’s thoughts on the life and presidency of George H.W. Bush. Mike, who like Jay greatly admired Bush, adds that it wasn’t long after Bush left office that the GOP took a decisive turn toward a nastier, more...

Will and Mike open the show with an analysis of President Trump’s criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. As part of the discussion, they walk through the role of the Fed and the differences between fiscal and monetary policy. They agree that...

On this week’s show, Will and Mike begin by speaking about the legacy of President George H. W. Bush and their memories of his career. The first story discussed from the week is the guilty plea entered by Michael Cohen in federal court. Will and...

In this listener comment show, Mike and Jay discuss: if Mike is too obnoxious how bipartisan the show really is progressive voices on The Politics Guys what Mike got wrong about e-cigarettes our commitment to truth over party individuality and...

This week Trey is once again joined by Alexandra Filindra. They tackle one of the biggest questions of the week to open the show: President Trump’s showdown with Chief Justice John Roberts. Both Alexandra and Trey see similarities to to President...

Mike talks with author, speaker, and practicing barrister Jamie Susskind. Jamie studied history and politics at Magdalen College, Oxford before turning to law, and is a past Fellow of Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and...

This week’s show opens with Mike talking about where Jay is on the ideological spectrum. Mike argues that although a number of listeners feel Jay is far right, he’s actually fairly moderate when compared to real far right voices like Sean Hannity...

Mike and Jay discuss President Trump’s action to deny asylum to those who cross into the United States illegally and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions: why President Trump fired him, what it means for policy, and the potential implications for...

It’s all elections on this episode, starting with a look at the Congressional results. Mike and Jay talk about what they got right and where they went wrong in their predictions, and what they expect from the next Congress. Then they turn to state...

Mike & Jay's first ever live podcast, recorded 11/1/18 in Cincinnati Ohio's Memorial Hall as part of the inaugural Cincinnati Podcast Festival. They discuss the Pittsburgh synagogue bombing, the Central America caravan, President Trump's...

Trey is joined by Ken this week and the duo tackle the upcoming midterms. They begin by looking at the major Senate races in play, specifically Florida and Texas. Then Trey and Ken turn to the House where they use some quick math to demonstrate the...

Mike talks with Dr. Justin A. Frank, a former clinical professor of psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center and a physician with more than forty years of experience in psychoanalysis. He’s the bestselling author of Bush on the...

On this week’s show, Will and Mike begin by discussing the mail bombs sent by Cesar Sayoc to Trump political enemies. Mike points out that these events are symptomatic of the current political environment in which politics is a blood sport. Will...

In this listener mail episode, Mike and Jay answer the following questions: How big of a deal is the Canadian dairy industry in the overall context of a renegotiated trade agreement, and should we be concerned about the effect of the USMCA on the...

Mike and Jay open the show with discussion of the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabian security personnel. Jay argues that while President Trump’s rhetoric has been typically Trumpian, in terms of substance his...

Mike talks with Greg Lukianoff, attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). He's the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate,...

Trey Orndorff welcomes Alexandra Filindra from the University of Illinois at Chicago to The Politics Guys this week. The Politics Guys ask listeners to give us your comments and feedback on Alexandra and the show this week. First up Trey thanks...

Mike talks with cybersecurity expert Sami Saydjari. He's been deeply involved in the fields for over three decades, working for organizations including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Security Agency, and NASA, among...

This week Trey Orndorff and The Politics Guys is excited to introduce Athena King, a political scientist from Virginia State University. The Politics Guys asks that listeners listen to Athena and send us your feedback on what you think of the show....

Mike talks with Onkar Ghate, a senior fellow and chief philosophy officer at the Ayn Rand Institute. Dr. Ghate is the Institute’s resident expert on Objectivism and serves as its senior trainer and editor. He has taught philosophy for over ten years..

CleanKavanaugh-Ford, the Budget, Jay Responds to His Critics, and a Trump Hypothetical

This week, Mike welcomes political scientist Will Miller back to the show. Will and Mike open by discussing the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Included is the perspective of...

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the accusation of attempted rape leveled at Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford. The Guys have a lot of differences of opinion on this issue, though they do agree on the...

Mike talks to University of Maryland cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand about her new book, Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire the World. Topics Mike and Michele discuss include: the importance of culture in...

Trey and Ken this week start off the show by looking at both the content and the fallout from Bob Woodward’s new book Fear. Both are fascinated with what it might mean for the organizational structure of the White House. Ken suggests that the drama...

Mike talks to Vanderbilt University political scientist Larry Bartels about his book (co-authored with Christopher Achen) Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government. Topics Mike and Larry discuss include: identity...

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with discussion of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. They agree that the hearings are almost entirely political theater at this point and that everyone’s mind is made up. Mike...

In this week of Ask the Politics Guys supporters ask Trey and Mike their most pressing questions. First they address the issue of if Trump’s support among Republicans is so high because never-Trump Republicans are leaving. Next the Guys turn to a...

Trey and Mike open this week looking at Senator John McCain’s legacy in the American political system. Whether you gave money to his campaign like Mike, or disagreed with his policies like Trey, both Guys agree that McCain was a honest Senator who...

CleanGlen Weyl on Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society

Mike talks with E. Glen Weyl, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research New York City, about his recent book with Eric Posner, Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society. Mike and Glen discuss: why private property is a..

Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of President Trump’s very rough week. First was the conviction of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort on eight counts of bank and tax fraud, followed by a plea deal between federal prosecutors and..

Mike talks to novelist and essayist Joshua Cohen about his latest book, Attention: Dispatches from a Land of Distraction. In this talk, Mike and Joshua discuss: Donald Trump and the Fall of Atlantic City What people who have worked with...

CleanBehind the Scenes in the Obama (and Trump) White House with Beck Dorey-Stein (Politics Plus)

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once..

Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the recent primary elections in Vermont, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Kansas. Mike is pleased to see his Democrats nominating diverse candidates, while Jay points out that while diversity is a good...

In this listener comment episode Trey and Mike discuss: Trey’s take on what a Libertarian is How Democrats could pay for Medicare for all Why the GOP has trouble with racism How Mike would run Trump and Trey would run a Democratic opponent Why 3rd...

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once..

Trey and Mike open this week’s show focusing on the recent Ohio 12th District special election. Both Trey and Mike agree that the 12th District looks like trouble for Republicans. This year, statistically, Democrats should do better and both agree...

In this listener comment episode Mike and Jay discuss: Google and antitrust Mike’s inconsistent use of Occam’s Razor Why there aren’t more good candidates Jay’s ‘line in the sand’ on Trump The $12 billion in payments to U.S. farmers hurt...

CleanMona Charen on how Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense (Politics Plus)

(There was a very short period in Mike’s life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast – Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once..

Mike and Jay open this week’s show with a look at the trial of Paul Manafort, who’s accused of tax fraud, bank fraud, and bank fraud conspiracy. Both of the Guys agree that things look pretty bad for Manafort. While the charges aren’t directly...

Mike talks to political scientist John Sides about his Democracy Fund Voter Study Group report, 'Muslims in America: Public Perceptions in the Trump Era' Dr. Sides is an associate professor of political science at The George Washington...

There was a very short period in Mike's life where he thought he could handle his teaching job, write a book, host The Politics Guys, and start a new podcast - Politics Plus. It soon became evident to Mike how insane trying to do all this at once was,..

CleanFarm Subsides, US and Iran Spat, The Michael Cohen Tape, and Facebook’s Record Decline

This week the show is produced for the first time ever in Oklahoma City. Trey, now officially part of Oklahoma Christian University, is joined by Ken who is preparing to move to Denver. The first topic is Trump’s trade policy. The Trey and Ken to...

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Jay get into: If the media - Time magazine in particular - was fair in its photographic portrayal of President Trump’s immigration policy, and if Mike and Jay spend too much time on a media sideshow. How...

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. They agree that President Trump’s performance was bizarre and awful. Mike says this, combined...

CleanDr. Mona Hanna-Attisha on Politics, Lead, and the Flint Water Crisis

Mike talks to Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of the pediatrics residency at the Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, and an assistant professor at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, where she heads the Hurley Children’s...

Mike and Trey kick off the show by discussing the 12 Russian intelligence officials indicted this week for hacking into Democratic Party systems. Mike says that despite the fact that these Russians will never face trial in the United States, the...

CleanPower Imbalance, Trump Supporter Motivations, What if the Democrats Win?, The National Debt, How to Effect Change

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Trey address these questions: Why has the executive branch become so much more powerful than the legislative and judicial branches, and what can we do about it? What motivates President Trump’s political...

This week's show kicks off with Mike and Trey discussing the likely strategies of both the left and the right once President Trump names his Supreme Court nominee. After that it's discussion of the resignation of scandal-plagued EPA Administrator...

CleanAnthony Kennedy, the Politics of the Supreme Court, and how a New Justice May Change the Court

In our first ever three-person Politics Guys, Northern Kentucky University Law Professor Ken Katkin joins Mike and Jay to discuss: how Kennedy was different from the Court’s four other conservatives whether the Justices are politicians in robes or...

This week’s show starts off with Mike and Jay discussing Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. There’s so much to cover here that the Guys decided to do an entire episode on it, which will drop in the usual Wednesday slot (July 4). There were a...

In this listener comment episode, Mike and Jay address the following listener questions: Should police be given the level of qualified immunity from prosecution they currently receive? Will a recent federal court ruling change anything? We need to...

This week’s show starts with Mike and Jay discussing the bipartisan furor over family separations that have occurred as a result of the Trump administration’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ immigration policy. Mike argues that the policy is inhumane, that...

CleanWhy the Electoral College? Why a Two Party System? Ranked-Choice Voting Systems Explained

This episode features Trey and Ken’s responses to the following listener questions: Why do we have the Electoral College? Why isn’t there a way to invalidate fraudulent elections? What would it take for a third party rise to national prominence?...

Mike talks about his new interview podcast, Politics Plus. On the show, he’ll be interviewing men and women from across the ideological spectrum about American politics, economics, history, and culture. You can find and subscribe to Politics Plus by..

Trey and Ken open the show by discussing the 500 page Justice Department finding on the FBI. They both largely agree the report shows former FBI Director James Comey was insubordinate, but they differ on who it helps most rhetorically. Trey thinks...

This episode features Mike and Jay’s responses to the following listener questions: Jay says he’s pro-choice with it comes to people choosing their own health care. Is he also pro-choice when it comes to a woman’s right to choose whether or not...

Mike and Jay open with a look at the G7 meeting in Quebec, Canada. They agree that President Trump's protectionism is bad policy, though Jay still thinks that the president might be using his tough talk as a negotiating tactic and may not impose...

Mike talks to Dr. Robert Sutter, a Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School of George Washington University. Dr. Sutter has worked both in government and in academia, including positions with the CIA, State Department, and Senate...

This week, Mike and Jay start with a look at the Trump Administration's announcement that it would be imposing hefty steel and aluminum tariffs on U.S. allies Mexico, Canada, and the European Union on 'national security' grounds. The administration is..

Mike and Jay kick off the show by discussing a federal court ruling that President Trump was violating the 1st Amendment by blocking some critics from his Twitter feed. Neither of the Guys is exactly comfortable with the courts telling people how to...

This week, Mike and Jay start off with a look at the North Korea summit, which President Trump canceled, but later suggested might be back on after all. The Guys discuss why the president canceled, what his plan is, and whether we're moving in the...

CleanHerbert Hoover - the most fascinating, under-appreciated man of the 20th century (Seriously!)

Mike talks with journalist, editor, and publisher Kenneth Whyte, author of The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst and most recently, Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times. If you think Herbert Hoover...

This week Trey and Mike begin the show with the tragic news of a school shooting in Santa Fe Friday. Mike argues briefly that it is the immutable American gun culture that leads to these kinds of tragedies. Trey argues that the right ignores the...

Mike talks with Ran Levi, author of Battle of Minds: The History of Computer Malware and host of the [Malicious Life](https://malicious.life/) podcast, which explores the people and the stories behind the cyber security industry and its evolution.Mik...

This week's show opens with a look at the Iran nuclear deal that President Trump pulled the U.S. out of. Both Mike and Jay agree that it was an imperfect deal, but Mike feels we should have stayed in and worked to improve it. Jay feels that the deal wa.

This 'listener mailbag' show begins with Mike and Jay taking a question from a listener who wonders if it's fair to conclude that healthcare in the United States is broken given the far greater amount per capita the U.S. spends to get results not too d.

The show starts off with Mike and Jay discussing the list of questions Special Counsel Robert Mueller has for President Trump, and whether or not the president will end up answering them. They both agree that it would be extremely unwise for Trump to s.

CleanPG 147: North and South Korea Meet, Macron Goes to Washington, How Special of a Special Election in Arizona?, Ronnie Jackson Withdraws, and the Scott Pruitt's "Secret Science"

This week Trey and Mike host together for the first time in a number of episodes. Picking up with one of last week's topics the hosts discuss the meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea. Trey and Mike both agree the meeting was important, .

Mike talks with Sheila Tate, who served as press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan from 1981 to 1985\. After leaving the White House staff, she co-founded the Washington D.C. public relations firm Powell Tate. She served as press secretary to George.

This week, Mike welcomes special guest co-host Will Miller, a center-right political scientist. Mike and Will start the show by discussing the upcoming negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea in the wake of Secretary of State Nominee Mike Pompeo'.

Mike talks with economist Tyler Cowen. In addition to being a professor of Economics at George Mason University, Dr. Cowen blogs at [Marginal Revolution](http://bit.ly/2IWWSzV), hosts the '[Conversations with Tyler](http://bit.ly/2IZNYBK)' podcast , is.

Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of the US-led missile strike on Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure, in response to Syria's alleged chemical attack on Syrian insurgents. Both Mike and Jay agree that the international community can't sta.

CleanPG144: A War of Words and Tariffs between China and the United States, Zuckerberg Goes to Congress, the Potential U.S. Pullout from Syria

Trey is joined by Ken this week and reveals he is headed to Oklahoma Christain University. Trey and Ken open the show by discussing the ongoing dispute between the United States and China over trade policy. The hosts explore both the immediate tariffs .

In this listener mail episode of The Politics Guys, Mike and Jay respond to listener questions, including:
* Why Congress gives the president so much power in authorizations for use of military force.
* The lack of attention both Mike and Jay ha.

Mike welcomes [The 45th Podcast's](https://45thpod.com/) Susan Simpson to the show, in Part II of The Politics Guys / The 45th Podcast host exchange. Mike and Susan open with a look at the shakeup at the VA, with Mike questioning the managerial qualifi.

Mike talks with Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker about his work on economic growth, insecurity, and inequality. Dr. Hacker's books include '[The Great Risk Shift](https://amzn.to/2I5IPYo)', [Winner-Take-All Politics](https://amzn.to/2I7I5lz), and,.

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the $1.3 trillion dollar, 2,0000+ page budget passed by Congress and very reluctantly signed into law by President Trump. Mike sees it as not half bad, given Republican control of the legislative and executiv.

Mike welcomes George Mason University economist Bryan Caplan back to the show to talk about his latest book, '[The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money](http://amzn.to/2FTfqzI)'.
In this episode, Mike and Dr

CleanPG141: A Line at the White House Exit, Stormy Daniels Sues Trump, and the Student Walkout

Trey begins by hijacking the show's opening with an original loop. Jay and Trey then open the show by looking at the big exits from the White House this week including Rex Tillerson and Andrew McCabe. Jay argues that the replacements are capable and Tr.

In this 'Ask The Politics Guys' episode, Mike and Jay respond to comments and questions on:
* the nature of the Mueller investigation
* the role of healthcare costs in personal bankruptcy
* contempt and civil discourse
* the wisdom of nationwi.

Mike and Jay open the show with a look at the stunning announcement about talks between President Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Both of the guys are hesitant to believe this will lead to anything given North Korea's track record of stringing U.S.

Mike talks with Jason Reifler, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, about his research into fake news. They discuss Dr. Reifler's recent paper on the topic ('[Selective Exposure to Misinformation: Evidence.

This week's show starts with a discussion of the 'national security' tariffs President Trump announced he planned to impose on steel and aluminum. Mike and Jay are in agreement that the tariffs are a terrible idea and not at all related to national sec.

Mike talks with Jim Jonas, a founding director of the [National Association of Nonpartisan Reformers](https://nonpartisanreformers.org/) and co-founder of Colorado Independent Voters. Jim is an experienced political, public affairs and corporate commun.

The show opens with Mike and Jay discussing the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Mike takes issue with the inflammatory rhetoric of NRA head Wayne LaPierre, and while Jay agrees, he points ou.

Mike and Jay lead off the show with Mike arguing that in the aftermath of tragic events, like the recent school shooting in Florida, we're far too quick to rush to judgment and far too eager to believe that incompetence or malfeasance is the cause. He .

CleanPG137: South Florida Shooting and the FBI, Mueller’s Indictment, Senate Immigration Fails, Mitt Romney for Senate, and No Solo-Press Conferences for President Trump

This week’s show opens with Trey introducing a new voice for the left: Ken Katkin, , a professor of law at Northern Kentucky University, who's stepping in to give Mike the week off (and to give listeners the week off from Mike ). The two then move int

Mike talks with Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School and a senior fellow at the [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/). He's a longtime advisor to Senator Elizabeth Warren, serving as her policy direc.

This week's show opens with Mike and Jay discussing President Trump's decision to not allow the release of the Democratic response to the memo released last week by House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes. While the FBI and Department of Justice.

CleanAbortion, Trump's Racism, Podcasts We Like, How Mike Became a Liberal

Mike and Jay start the show by addressing listener comments, starting with a criticism of their recent discussion of reproductive rights, which several listeners said was sorely lacking in nuance. They also get into the extent to which they follow worl.

CleanPG135: GOP vs FBI, State of the Union, Immigration, Infrastructure

This week's show opens with Mike and Jay's discussion of the 'Nunes Memo', in which the GOP majority of the House Intelligence Committee suggests that the FBI obtained a FISA warrant to spy on Trump campaign associate Carter Page using highly questiona.

Mike talks with Susan Jacoby, an independent scholar specializing in the history of reason, atheism, secularism, and religious liberty. She's the bestselling author of 12 books, including '[Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism](http://amzn.to.

This week, disaster struck The Politics Guys. Well, okay, maybe not disaster exactly, but a truly nasty flu bug felled Trey late in the week. We'd planned to have Trey run the show along with a special more far left than Mike guest co-host, but that al.

Mike talks with University of Maryland sociology professor Dana R. Fisher about her research on activism and protests, the Women's March, who protests and why, whether protests can drive real political change, differences between Occupy Wall Street and.

This week's show starts off with the story everyone's been talking about - the government shutdown. Mike and Jay largely stay away from the blame game consuming most of the media, and try to focus on why both parties did what they did and the role Pres.

In this listener mail episode (really more of a listener mail, Facebook, Twitter, and politicsguys.com site comment episode) Mike and Jay respond to listener comments concerning:
* Why Republicans like Jay aren't nearly as respectful of facts as Dem.

Mike's back with his second food politics episode. This time, he reads [his post on the politics of farm labor](http://politicsguys.com/the-politics-of-farm-labor/) , getting into who works on America's farms (mostly immigrants), how willing Americans

CleanPG133: Immigration, Is Trump a Racist?, Medicaid, Surveillance Law

Mike and Jay open the show with a discussion of everything that's been happening on the immigration front this week, including the Trump administration's decision to not extend temporary protected status to nearly 200,000 Salvadorians, a federal judge'.

In our first show of 2018 Mike and Trey look at what they thought would be a quiet week in the news that quickly exploded. First they look at the unexpected offer by Kim Jong Un to talks between North and South Korea. Then the hosts turn their attentio.

Mike talks with Josh Silver, Director and co-founder of [Represent.Us](https://represent.us/) , a nonprofit organization that brings together conservatives, progressives, and everyone in between to pass powerful anti-corruption laws that stop political.

Mike and Jay aren't doing their regular Saturday show today, but instead of giving you nothing this weekend Mike thought he'd try an experiment.
As you might know, [Mike started a blog](http://politicsguys.com/mike/) not too long ago. One reader sug..

Mike, Jay, and Trey have been talking about the GOP tax bill since early November, and this week it finally became the GOP tax law, after President Trump signed the measure before departing for his Christmas vacation. Mike and Jay summarize their views.

Mike talks with Dr. Bob Pendleton, Chief Medical Officer at University of Utah Health. They discuss the school's recently released 'Value in Health Care Survey' (https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/value/) which asked patients, doctors, and employers across th.

This week Trey rejoins Michael after finishing the fall semester at Daytona State College. The first topic of conversation is the Alabama special Senate election. Trey and Michael discuss the implications of a Jones win, a Moore loss, and what the exit.

Mike welcomes back to the show political scientist and American Enterprise Institute Resident Scholar Norman Ornstein. They talk about his latest book: One Nation After Trump: A Guide for the Perplexed, the Disillusioned, the Desperate, and the Not-Yet.

Today's show, which Mike does solo, is a radical departure from the normal format. That's not because Mike went renegade and ditched Jay's conservative counterweight or that Jay quit in disgust at Mike's liberalism. Mike and Jay actually did record a s.

Mike talks with historian Ray Raphael about his latest book, The U.S. Constitution: Explained - Clause by Clause - For Every American Today. Ray argues thatboth sides are wrong about the 2nd Amendment, explains why there's no such thing as an Constitut.

This week, Mike and Jay start off with a look at the Senate tax bill, which passed by a vote of 51-49, with 'no' votes from every Democrat and one Republican (Tennessee's Bob Corker). Jay is a lot more optimistic about the economic growth potential of .

Mike and Jay start off this week with a discussion of net neutrality in the wake of the FCC's move to revoke Obama-era rules that prevent internet service providers from privileging content from certain providers over others. Jay argues that this is a .

Mike and Jay open by discussing what, for Mike, was crushing news - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head Rob Cordray announced that he would be stepping down. Mike points out that since its creation as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform .

This week's show opens with Mike and Jay taking a look at the current state of the Republican tax reform bills in both the House and the Senate. Mike points out - once again - that it's a horrible idea to ram a huge, complex tax bill through only weeks.

Mike talks with Dan Flynn, Editor in Chief of Food Safety News (http://www.foodsafetynews.com/) about the Food Safety Modernization Act, whether FDA inspections are tough enough, if regulations are unfair to smaller farms, and the state of food safety .

CleanPG125: The Great House and Senate Tax Plan Question, Elections in VA, NJ, and ME, Trump Visits Asia, and Roy Moore's Denial

This week Trey and Jay start by taking on the Senate's proposed tax plan. It differs from its House counterpart. Trey worries about the deficit and Jay focuses on growth.
Next they turn to the major Democratic wins in Virginia, New Jersey, and Maine. .

For the one-year anniversary of President Trump's election, we brought back Mike's friend Joe, who Mike talked to in the 'A Trump Supporter Speaks' episode in October of 2016. (http://politicsguys.com/a-trump-supporter-speaks/)
At the time, Mike th...

In this week's extended episode Trey and Mike start off by discussing the GOP Tax Plan. They begin by analyzing the content of the plan. As to the policy itself, Trey is optimistic, but worried about the $1.5 trillion debt increase. Mike sees both posi.

This week, Mike and Jay start by talking about President Trump's declaration of the opioid crisis as a public health emergency. Mike wonders about the timing of the announcement, which came out a week before the president's opioid commission is schedul.

Mike talks with Luis Perez-Breva, a successful serial innovator and director of the Innovation Teams Program at MIT. Dr. Perez-Breva holds degrees in Chemical Engineering, Physics, Business, and Artificial Intelligence. He's an expert in the process of.

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the bipartisan Senate proposal to stabilize Obamacare markets in the wake of President Trump halting cost-sharing subsidies to insurers, as well as the clever way state insurance regulators are dealing with t.

To begin the show Trey asks about new information from the presidential election. Specifically, Facebook offered to work with both presidential campaigns but only the Trump campaign agreed to it. Then Trey and Jay respond to listener questions. The fir.

CleanPG 121: Trump and the Democrats on Dreamers and Healthcare, Harvey Weinstein’s Worst Kept Secret, The Boy Scouts Make A Change & A Presidential Library Without Books

Trey and Jay start this week’s show by discussing Trump’s unilateral action to change the Affordable Health Care Act’s cost-sharing provisions. They talk about the actual changes and the policy implications of the action. This leads to a discussio

This week, Mike and Jay respond to lister questions and comments: if the Ninth Circuit is really the most overturned appellate court (it depends on how you measure), whether we think market-based reforms can lower health care costs (sometimes), if ther.

Mike and Jay start this week's show by discussing the state of gun policy in the United States in the wake of the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas. They get into how the United States is different from other rich countries on the issue, whether libera.

CleanHarvard's Nancy Koehn on Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times

Mike talks to historian Nancy Koehn, who holds the James E. Robison chair of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Dr. Koehn's research focuses on effective leadership and how leaders, past and present, craft lives of purpose, worth, and .

Mike and Jay start off this jam-packed episode with a look at the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price in the wake of a travel scandal. Mike points out that Price joins an unusually large contingent of former Trump staffers for .

Mike talks to economist Glenn Hubbard. Dr. Hubbard is dean and Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics at Columbia Business School.
In addition to writing more than 100 scholarly articles in economics and finance, Dr. Hubbard is the au.

CleanPG 118: Trump's UN Speech, The Escalating Nomenclature of North Korea and the United States, Facebook and Drudge go Russian, and the Alabama Primary

This week Trey explains how hurricane Irma had him evacuate the state of Florida and offer thanks to all the listeners who inquired about his family and home. Then Trey and Jay turn to politics and the week's biggest story: Trump's United Nations speec.

CleanCongressman Jim Jordan on the Debt Limit, Tax Reform, and the 2016 Election

Jay talks to Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus. Jay and Rep. Jordan discuss the debt ceiling, tax reform, the Obama administration's attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, and more.
As a lead-in to t.

This week, the Guys start off by talking about the potential deal President Trump reached with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi that involves allowing Dreamers to stay in the country legally in exchange for enhanced border security. Mi.

This week, Mike and Jay respond to a listener who feels Mike was being snide and slanderous to Jay in a recent show, and then move on to an in-depth discussion of political correctness and identity politics.
For their discussion, they focus on these f.

his week, Mike and Jay start out by discussing President Trump's decision to discontinue President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They both agree that it's probably a good policy, but that it's also probably unconstitutional, a.

Mike talks with Henry Petroski, a Professor of Civil Engineering and History at Duke University. Dr. Petroski is a prolific scholar and public intellectual - in addition to publishing nineteen books and hundreds of articles in newspapers, magazines, an.

This week, Mike and Jay start things off by talking about the politics of Hurricane Harvey, including the quality of the government's response, how well President Trump personally responded, and the role federal flood insurance plays in disasters like .

Mike and Jay weren't able to get to everything they wanted to cover on Saturday's show, so they decided to do this 'Saturday Spillover' show. In it, they talk about President Trump's escalating battle with Senate Republicans, the largest ever NFL footb.

This week's show starts with Mike and Jay talking about two late-breaking stories: President Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County AZ sheriff Joe Arpaio and the president's memo formalizing the ban on transgender troops which he previewed in late Ju.

CleanSaadia Madsbjerg on Changing the Status Quo with Innovative Finance

Mike talks with Saadia Madsbjerg, a Managing Director at the Rockefeller Foundation. Ms. Madsbjerg's work focuses on innovative finance solutions that change the status quo and raise private sector investment capital to further the Foundation’s goals

This week’s show starts by examining Trump’s ever changing statement on Charlottesville, VA. Trump would end up setting a more measured tone renouncing Neo-Nazi’s and other hate groups, but then on Tuesday Trump became combative with reporters and

Mike talks with author, journalist, and environmental activist Mark Lynas. He's a frequent speaker around the world on climate change, biotechnology and nuclear power, and was climate change advisor to the President of the Maldeeves from 2009 - 2011. I.

This week's show starts with the tragic events in Charlottesville, VA where there were multiple clashes between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters, the most horrific by far being a young white man deliberately ramming his vehicle into .

In this listener mail episode, Mike and Jay tackle a bunch of questions including whether we're spending the right amount of money on the right things for national defense, how to deal with a future in which machines are doing so many of the things peo.

Mike and Jay start this week with an analysis of the shakeup among President Trump's top advisors. First it was Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci being fired 10 days after he was named to the position and before his first official day on the j.

Mike talks to Bill Ritter Jr., director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. Prior to that he served as Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011.
During his term, Governor Ritter established Colorado as a national and .

This week Trey and Jay team up to take on a fast moving week in the world of politics! We start with the McCain and company torpedoing the so-called skinny bill in the Senate. It looks like Republicans are having a tough time passing legislation and bo.

Lawrence Lessig on Campaign Finance Reform
Mike talks with Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. Prior to his time at Harvard, Professor Lessig clerked for not one, but two of Mike's intellectual her.

This week, Mike and Jay open the show with their thoughts on Senator John McCain, who this week announced that he has a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer. Despite their occasional policy differences with Senator McCain, both of the Guys agre.

CleanKenneth Rogoff on Eight Centuries of Financial Folly & The Curse of Cash

Mike talks with Dr. Kenneth Rogoff, Professor of Economics and Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. From 2001–2003, Dr. Rogoff was Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund. He's a senior fellow at the Council on

This week's show starts off with a look at the latest iteration of the Senate health care bill. While there are some changes from the initial version, Mike is still opposed, Jay is still 'eh' and neither of them think it has the votes to pass - at leas.

CleanHarvard's Gary King on Gerrymandering, Big Data, & Chinese Social Media Use

Mike talks to Harvard's Gary King, author or co-author of over 150 scholarly journal articles, 20 open-source software packages, eight books, and winner of more prizes, awards, and honors than you can shake a stick at. Dr. King is a fellow in eight hon.

CleanPG107: North Korean Missile Test, American First Meets the G20, Modern Day Presidential, and Illinois Budget

This week the show kicks off with Mike and Trey talking about the July 4th North Korean Missile Test. The launch is important because it marks the first intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launched by North Korea and Kim Jung Un. Both Mike .

Mike talks to Brooke Gladstone, co-host and managing editor of WNYC’s On The Media. Ms. Gladstone has won multiple awards for her reporting, including a National Press Club Award and two Peabody Awards. She’s also the author of two books: The Influe

This week's show starts off with Mike and Jay taking a look at the currently stalled Senate GOP healthcare bill. Between the bill's broad unpopularity and a devastating Congressional Budget Office score, it looks like it's going to be tough for Mitch M.

There was so much intense listener response to Mike's recent interview with Townhall.com columnist Kurt Schlichter, that Mike and Jay decided to devote the first part of this listener mail episode to addressing those responses and explaining why Mr. Sc.

This week, Mike and Jay start things off by talking about health care bill unveiled by Senate Republicans. Mike sees it as a nearly trillion dollar tax cut financed by draconian cuts to Medicaid, whereas Jay believes it may help by giving states more a.

Mike talks to Kurt Schlichter, an attorney, retired Army infantry colonel, and Senior Columnist for Townhall.com. His commentary on political, military, and legal issues has been featured in numerous national outlets, such as Fox News, CNN, and the Hug.

Mike and Trey start this week with the tragic shooting of Scalise and the unfortunate political communications uproar in it’s aftermath by James Hodgkinson. Both Mike and Trey worry that democracy may be losing a pillar when demonization is the new no

Mike talks to Sasha Issenberg, a political journalist whose work has appeared in Slate, Washington Monthly, The Atlantic, and lots of other places. He's a contributor to Bloomberg Politics and the author of multiple books, including the widely praised .

Mike and Jay received so much listener feedback on our discussion of President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord (in episode 102) that they decided to do this special follow-up. In it, they cover the 'We Are S.

Mike and Jay start the show talking about the story that dominated the news this week: the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey. Neither of the Guys think that Comey dropped any bombshells, though Mike believes that this is still early days in .

Mike talks with Economist senior editor and columnist Ryan Avent, author of The Gated City and, most recently, The Wealth of Humans: Work and its Absence in the Twenty-First Century.
In addition to The Economist, Mr. Avent's work has appeared in outl.

This week, Mike and Jay start off by talking about President Trump's announcement that the United States will be leaving the Paris Climate Change Accord, making it one of only three countries in the world to not be participating (the other two are Syri.

Mike talks to Samuel Sinyangwe, co-founder of OurStates, an initiative that connects communities to actionable information and tools to reject the Trump / GOP agenda in every state and protect communities from harm.
Mr. Sinyangwe is a policy analyst .

This week's show opens with Mike and Jay talking about something they *won't* be covering - the continuing drip, drip, drip of Trump scandal leaks. That doesn't mean that they aren't concerned with the serious allegations that have been raised (especia.

Mike talks to author, ABC News chief political analyst, and die-hard independent Matthew Dowd. Mr. Dowd has extensive experience in politics where he's worked for candidates and officeholders on both sides of the aisle, including Democrats Dick Gephard.

This week, Mike is joined by Trey, filling in for Jay. They start the show with an overview of a tumultuous week for President Trump, featuring the president revealing classified information to Russia, allegations that Trump asked then FBI Director Com.

Mike talks to journalist and researcher Dr. Sarah Kendzior about the threat posed by the Trump presidency, media elites & 'flyover country' and lots more!
Dr. Kendzior is a columnist for Canada's Globe and Mail, and her work has has appeared in multip.

This week's show starts out with President Trump's surprising and, some would say, far-too impulsive firing of FBI Director James Comey. Mike and Jay consider if this is Trump fearing that the FBI is getting too close to finding ties between his campai.

Mike talks with Dr. Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Dr. Drezner is the author of multiple books, including Theories of International Politics and Zombies, The System.

The Guys start out this week's show with a detailed look at the American Health Care Act, which the House of Representatives passed in a squeaker of a vote. Both Mike and Jay expect that the Senate will take up and pass some version of the AHCA, but th.

Mike talks with James Fallows, a legendary figure in American journalism. Mr. Fallows was chief speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, editor of US News & World Report, a program designer at Microsoft, and is currently a national correspondent for Th.

This episode marks a return to our roots, with a focus on deeper analysis of what's most important, and less coverage of the ephemeral events that so often dominate the weekly news cycle.
Mike and his fellow political scientist Trey - who's guest-host.

First up is Mike's interview with political scientist Larry Sabato. Professor Sabato is the director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, which includes Sabato’s Crystal Ball - the foremost election forecasting site in the United Sta

This week's show starts with Mike and Jay talking about the 'not-quite' Democratic win in the special election in Georgia. Mike thinks it could be a (positive) sign of things to come for Democrats in Congress, but Jay isn't so sure.
After that, the .

Mike talks to Jeremy Haile, co-author of the Indivisible Guide - a practical guide to influencing Members of Congress, written by a team of former Congressional staffers. From 2008-2012, Jeremy served as a legislative aide to Rep. Lloyd Doggett along w.

This week, the Guys start out by looking at President Trump's foreign policy in a dangerous world. First it's Syria, where Assad's chemical attacks and the U.S. retaliatory missile strike has brought US / Russia relations to their lowest level in quite.

Mike talks to Republican pollster and political analyst Kristen Soltis Anderson. Ms. Anderson is co-founder of the research and analytics firm Echelon Insights, a contributor at ABC News, a Washington Examiner columnist, a regular guest on shows like M.

This week, we have our very first sponsor - Blue Apron! To get three of their great meals for free as well as free shipping, go to blueapron.com/TPG
It was a crazy week in foreign policy, and the guys start with the biggest of all the big stories - th.

Mike talks to Professor Andrew McAfee, Co-Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Initiative on the Digital Economy and a Principal Research Scientist at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Professor McAfee's work has appeared in numerous.

This week, the Guys start out by looking at the latest news on the multiple Russia probes. The House investigation has slowed to a crawl amid claims from Democrats that Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes can't be trusted to conduct an impartial p.

Mike talks to UC Berkeley economist Brad DeLong. Professor DeLong, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration, blogs at 'Grasping Reality with All Tentacles' - one of the best economics blogs around.
Topics.

This week, Mike and Jay start by taking a look at the first big legislative push of President Trump and House Republicans: The failed repeal and replace vote on Obamacare. They talk about what happened, why it happened, what it means for Obamacare, and.

This week, Mike and Jay tackle a bunch of great listener questions, such as whether or not progress is always a good thing, if being transgendered is a choice, what our philosophical beliefs concerning abortion are, the best case for liberalism (made b.

Mike and Jay lead off with a discussion of President Trump's first budget. The so-called 'skinny budget' (referring to any incoming president's first budget, which tends to be shorter on details than their later budget proposals) calles for big defense.

Mike talks with political scientist Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, contributing writer for The Atlantic, columnist for National Journal, and the author of many books on U.S. Politics, including It's Even Worse.

This week, Jay is joined by guest co-host Ken Katkin, a professor of law at Northern Kentucky University, who takes the place of Mike on the left. (But while Mike was off this week, he still couldn't resist inserting a few remarks at the very beginnin.

Mike talks with Steve Hilton, the founder of Crowdpac, which he created in 2014 in order to help reconnect regular people to politics by making it easier for everyone to learn about politicians, find and support candidates that match their beliefs, and.

This week, Mike and Jay start by discussing President Trump's first address to a joint session of Congress. They both agree that it was the most presidential / least Trump-like speech he's yet given. Then things get a bit more disputatious than usual, .

Mike talks to Lane Kenworthy, a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, San Diego. His research focuses on social policy, including poverty, inequality, mobility, and economic growth in the United States and other rich countries.
Profe.

This week's episode starts with a look at the annual meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference, headlined by President Trump himself. Mike and Jay take a look at the president's stridently anti-media rhetoric as well as discuss someone wh.

Mike talks to Jason Brennan, an Associate Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at Georgetown University. He's the author of a number of books, including The Ethics of Voting, Libertarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know, *Why Not

This week, Mike and Jay begin with a look at the resignation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and what it tells us about the Trump administration's national security savvy. Next, they discuss President Trump's press conference, which many on .

This episode features our answers to a bunch of great listener mail, facebook messages, and website comments we've gotten lately. We start off with Mike ansering a listener who thinks the Democratic Party should move left (Mike disagrees). Jay then res.

Mike and Jay lead off with the 9th Circuit's action on the Trump travel ban, along with their thoughts on whether or not it violates the Constitution. Then it's on to contentious Senate confirmation votes, with a focus on Betsy DeVoss - the first ever .

Mike talks to Marc Levinson, an economist, historian, and journalist specializing in economic and business issues. He’s a former finance and economics editor for The Economist, and has written for publications including the Harvard Business Review, Fo

It’s host-swap week at The Politics Guys! We’ve been big fans of Pantsuit Politics podcast for a while now, because both of us approach politics the same way – with the belief that we need less partisan yelling and screaming and more thoughtful,

Mike talks with Professor Marion Nestle, one of most respected and sought-after academic commentators on food politics, health, and nutrition. She’s the Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New

Donald Trump has been busy issuing executive orders, with his move to ban immigration from a number of Muslim countries perhaps the most controversial. Mike and Jay look at this, as well as President Trump’s orders that froze government hiring, stoppe

This week we catch up on listener mail, answering some great questions, including: What’s up with Jay’s unwillingness to criticize Donald Trump? Why does Mike support better relations with an awful regime like Cuba? Where do you Guys get your facts

This week the Guys start by discussing the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. His inauguration speech was dark, depressing, and hyperbolic by normal presidential inaugural address standards, but Jay argues it was a.

This week, Mike and Jay talk about the legacy of President Barack Obama. They discuss what presidential greatness means, whether ‘great’ presidents are something we should even hope for, Mike’s four-point criteria for measuring presidential succes

This week’s show starts off with Mike getting all misty-eyed about President Obama’s farewell speech. Unsurprisingly, Jay wasn’t quite so choked up. Mike contrasts what he sees as the grace and eloquence of the outgoing president with the decidedl

Mike interviews Pat Rosenstiel, from National Popular Vote, an organization working to ensure that the winner of the national popular vote for the presidency actually becomes president, something that hasn’t happened in two of the last five presidenti

CleanPG81: Russian Hacking, Building the Wall, House Ethics, Repealing Obamacare

This week, Mike and Jay start off by talking about the intelligence community’s now-released report on Russian hacking, which concluded that not only did the Russians attempt to influence the presidential election, but that they favored Donald Trump.

Mike talks with futurist and author Martin Ford. His most recent book is Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the 2015 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award..

This week, Mike and Jay start out by talking more about Russian hacking: What we know, how it may have affected the election, Donald Trump’s response, and if the U.S. should retaliate. After that they look at the latest picks in Donald Trump’s admin

Mike interviews political scientist Brendan Nyhan, a professor in the Department of Government at Dartmouth College. His research on political misperceptions has been published in many of the top journals in the field. He’s also a contributor to ‘Th

This week, the Guys start out by talking about ongoing controversies surrounding the 2016 presidential election. Now that Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s recount effort has mostly fizzled out, attention has focused on the Russians, wh

This week’s Ask The Politics Guys looks at two election-related questions. The first question – submitted by Alex, from Sandy, UT – is whether ranked-choice voting (sometimes called ‘instant runoff voting)) is a good idea. The second question is

This week, Mike and Jay start with a look at the three-state recount effort launched by Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein. The Clinton campaign has reluctantly become involved – reluctantly because they know that there’s essentially no way

Mike talks to one of his favorite economists: Bryan Caplan, a Professor of Economics at George Mason University. Professor Caplan is the author of multiple books, including The Myth of the Rational Voter, named “the best political book of the year”

Both Mike and Jay thought the 2016 presidential election was over, but that’s not so, at least according to Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein, who has raised over $5 million dollars for recounts in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania – t

Last Sunday’s show was jam-packed, and there were plenty of things Mike and Jay wanted to talk about that they couldn’t get to (at least, not without making the show way too long). In this show, they focus on some of those things: What Donald Trump

This week, the Guys start off by talking about how the incoming Trump administration is coming along. While things looked a little rocky at first, once Mike Pence took over from ousted transition chair Chris Christie things began to go more smoothly. A.

Mike and Jay take a look at what we might expect from a Trump presidency in a number of areas, including health care, immigration, economic regulation & tax policy, the Supreme Court, climate change, international relations, and infrastructure. They al.

Essentially all of the pre-election polls were wrong, and the Politics Guys start out by explaining why that was. Mike points out that the only people who got it close to right were political scientists, using election predictions based on fundamental .

CleanAsk The Politics Guys: How Important are Supreme Court Nominations?

This week’s Ask The Politics Guys question comes from From Kevin, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. “I’ve heard many people say they support Trump over Clinton because of the Supreme Court nomination. How important should the open seat be? Is its importance

It’s almost all election discussion this week, as the the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections are nearly upon us. Mike and Jay talk about the tightening polls, whether the media is overreacting (the answer to that question is almost always

Earlier in the election season, Mike and Jay took a look at the platform of Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson. This week, they examine the platform of the ‘other’ third party – the Green Party, led this year by their presidential

This week, Mike and Jay start off by talking about F.B.I. Director James Comey’s letter to a number of Congressional committees, in which he indicates that additional email has come to light that may be relevant to the Clinton email investigation. Alt

This week our question comes from Julia in Hamburg, Germany, who asks whether the American political system is in a state of erosion, if America will soon be a ‘flawed democracy’, and why the heck we don’t care more about gridlock in our political

This week Mike was not able to be with us, so Jay was joined by special guest and Cincinnati area attorney Dominique Wagner to discuss the week in politics. Listen as they discuss the final debate, Trump’s chances of winning, whether the debate change

Unlike Mike, Jay’s not actually running for president, but since we did a show in which Mike talked about his issue positions, we thought we’d turn things around and let Jay talk about his vision for the United States. In this episode, Jay covers e

This week, Mike and Jay start by talking about the disastrous Trump campaign, wondering if he’s even trying to win at this point and what will happen to the Republican party in the wake of an all-but-certain Trump loss. They also discuss more Wikileak

Mike talks to a Trump supporter – not a know-nothing or ‘lesser of two evils’ Trump supporter, but an intelligent, well-read, politically astute guy who makes a positive case for Donald Trump. (He also has a few website recommendations: Ace of Sp

This week, Mike and Jay start by talking about the fallout from a video of Donald Trump saying some extremely vulgar and objectifying things about women. The Guys agree that it’s awfully hard to see how Trump can recover from this. After that, they di

Mike interviews the amazing Dan Carlin, professional journalist and long time podcaster who hosts two of the best and most popular podcasts in the world: Hardcore History and Common Sense. They talk about the importance of history in understanding curr.

CleanPG69: The Debate, Congress Gets Busy, State of the Race, Nursing Home Rules

Jay’s back this week! He and Mike start off by talking about the first presidential debate. After that, they discuss a fairly busy week for Congress, which included keeping the government from shutting down and overriding an Obama veto, the current st

This week, in honor of the NFL season kicking off not too long ago, Mike and special guest co-host Dominique Wagner talk about the National Football League and politics. They get into Congressional action on concussions, the NFL’s special legal status

Jay had some technical difficulties and wasn’t able to record this show, so Mike is joined by his friend and Cincinnati area attorney Dominique Wagner. They talked about the ‘lone wolf’ terror attacks in Minnesota and New York, how differently Tu

Mike talks to E.W. Scripps President and CEO Rich Boehne about how the news business has changed, why Scripps is investing in podcasts, the difficulty of being well-informed without getting overwhelmed, covering Donald Trump, and lots more.

CleanPG67: The Polls Tighten, Trump’s Policies, and Some Good Economic News

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the tightening polls in the presidential race. While they both think Hillary Clinton will still win, it’s becoming easier and easier to construct realistic scenarios of not just a Trump presidency, but of a

Mike interviews Trey Grayson, best known nationally for running against Rand Paul in 2010 for the Republican US Senate nomination. Prior to that, he was a two-term Kentucky Secretary of State. Mr. Grayson served as Director of Harvard’s Institute of P

This week, it’s a seriously foreign-policy centric Politics Guys, with Jay and Mike discussing the presidential candidate forum moderated by NBSC’s Matt Lauer, an agreement between Russia and the US on Syria, North Korea’s nuclear advances, and a

Jay interviews James Taranto, author of the Wall Street Journal’s popular Best of the Web column and member of the WSJ editorial board. Mr. Taranto joined the Journal in 1996 as an assistant editorial features editor after spending five years as an e

This week, Mike and Jay start off by talking about Donald Trump’s surprise trip to Mexico, where he sounded almost moderate at times. That was followed up by a more characteristic Trump appearance in Arizona, where he was back to his usual ‘we’ll

Here’s this week’s Ask The Politics Guys question: “A while ago, Mike said he was running for president. What are his positions on the issues and can people actually vote for him? Jay, if Mike were a real candidate, would you vote for him?”

This week’s show starts with a look at what appeared to be Donald Trump’s softening stance toward illegal immigrants. Has Trump really changed his tune? If he has will it matter? Then it’s a discussion of the Clinton Foundation. Mike doesn’t thi

This week’s show starts with a look at the latest shakeup in the Trump campaign. Is Donald Trump still trying to win, or is he putting the pieces in place for a media network to challenge Fox? Next, it’s a look at Hillary Clinton’s continuing emai

Here’s this week’s Ask The Politics Guys Question: “You guys don’t seem to like either of the presidential candidates. If you could make anyone the nominee of your party, who would it be, and why them?”

It was another rough week for Donald Trump, and Jay & Mike start by looking at the GOP nominee’s troubles and the lasting damage he may be doing to his party and the country. Then, it’s on to new Hillary Clinton email revelations, a comparison of Tr

Mike interviews political journalist, policy expert, and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum. Mr. Frum has had a long and distinguished career in political journalism and policy analysis. Organizations he’s worked with include The Wall Stree

This week’s show starts with Mike replying to listeners who feel he’s been too soft on Donald Trump. After that, it’s a look at Trump’s truly bad week, some high-profile endorsements for Hillary Clinton, what Jay says is a massive U.S. ransom pa

Mike and Jay start off by talking about the Democratic National Convention and whether it helped Hillary Clinton in her quest to be the first female president. Next, the Guys look at the Russian state-sponsored hacking of Democratic computer systems. (.

Mike interviews political scientist John Sides, founder of the Monkey Cage blog and author of multiple books – most recently The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election (co-authored with Lynn Vavreck). If you’re not already foll

This week’s show starts with a look at the Republican National Convention. Things were calmer than expected on the streets but there was some controversy in the Quicken Loans Arena, thanks in large part to Ted Cruz’s non-endorsement speech. After di

The first post-summer vacation episode of The Politics Guys starts with a discussion of President Obama’s remarks at the memorial service for the five police officers murdered at a Black Lives Matter rally. Then it’s a look at the wisdom of Mike Pen

Note: After this episode, The Politics Guys will be taking their summer vacation. Mike and Jay will be back with new episodes starting on July 17 – the day before the Republican National Convention. This week, the Guys start off by looking at the last

This week’s question comes from Alexx, from Hastings, Minnesota. I remember reading a study that said generally people with higher IQs or more education are generally more liberal than conservative. Any idea as to why?

This week, the Guys start out by reviewing the Week in Trump, which features revelations about his sham ‘University’ accusations against a ‘Mexican’ judge born in Indiana, Trump’s war with the media, and Paul Ryan’s decidedly tepid endorseme

This week’s episode starts with a discussion of the State Department Inspector General’s report on Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server while she was Secretary of State. Both Mike and Jay agree that Clinton screwed up, though they don

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the state of the Democratic race, where Bernie Sanders is still plugging away, arguing that Superdelegates interested in winning in November should support him over Hillary Clinton. Next is a look at new rule.

This week, Mike and Jay start by talking about the Democratic presidential race, focusing on Hillary Clinton’s ‘crookedness’ as Donald Trump would almost certainly term it. After that, they look at the Week in Trump, discussing what might be in Do

This week’s Ask The Politics Guys question comes from Tyler, in Los Angeles. Tyler asks, “Is there a way to hold our politicians responsible for the words that come out of their mouths? If we have a country where the majority of Americans believe a

This week, The Guys start off by looking at how Donald Trump – the Republican Party’s all-but-official nominee – got to this point, what he needs to do next, and what it means for the future of the Republican Party. Next, they discuss the Justice

Here’s this week’s Ask The Politics Guys question: “I saw an article in Vox.com this week arguing that the smugness of liberals hurts them with voters? Do you think that’s right – are liberals too smug, and does their smugness cost them vote

This week’s show starts off with a look at the Democratic and Republican races. On the Democratic site, Hillary Clinton has all but put away Bernie Sanders, while Donald Trump continues his inexorable and, to some, inexplicable, run to the nomination.

This week, Mike and Jay start by looking at the state of the Republican and Democratic races following the big New York primary, as well as discussing the importance of building mailing lists and data-mining – two ‘boring but important’ things the

This week’s Ask The Politics Guys question comes from Kate in Chicago. Dear Politics Guys, What’s up with U.S. banks? After financial system reform, are they still too big to fail? And if they are, does that mean that if banks start to go under that

This week, the Guys start things off by looking at the big strike by Verizon workers. Surprisingly, Mike, who is usually ready to man the picket line with strikers, is feeling sort of sympathetic to Verizon (as is Jay, which is a lot less surprising). .

Our Ask The Politics Guys question for this week comes from Jeff, in New York: With Trump’s record turnout state after state, could the case be made that if he’s the nominee of the Republican Party they may lose moderate or “liberal” Republicans